We typically like to educate ourselves not only by our experiences on the job, but also with a great reading that we like to share amongst each other during our month end meetings. We have mainly focused on books that pertain to our business which is sales, but in this instance I wanted to focus on something that was more motivating rather than educational. This past month I read a book called Motivating Employees written by Anne Bruce and James S. Pepitone.
Essentially, this book focuses on motivation and how it can help you become a more inspirational employee/manager. What does that mean? Getting more done through people. The idea is to better equip yourself to be able to build a highly motivated, higher performing organization. The beginning of the book touches upon the actual definition of motivation and where it comes from. Motivation can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivations are those that drive us from within, such as a personal interest, desire or fulfillment. Extrinsic motivations are those which are factors outside of us that influence our internal needs, wants and behaviors. These can by typically described as rewards, promotions and praise.
As a sales representative, I have learned that you have ups and downs throughout your career and the primary goal is to manage some sort of consistency to balance the peeks and valleys. So what are the three most common ways to motivate? One that I believe is most popular today is fear, which usually peaks when the economy is sluggish. In sales, typically commissions outweigh base salaries, so individuals are motivated to work harder to earn a similar compensation when the economy is striving. Also, the fear of being “cut” when organizations are being downsized could be the fuel that lights the fire. The other two motivators that are highlighted are incentive and personal growth. Incentives are very popular in a sales world. Typically, you can see many great ideas such as a paid day off, dinners, and tangible gifts. This creates urgency as there is an added benefit if you book more revenue or perhaps have the largest pipeline. The last common motivator that Bruce and Pepitone place emphasis on is personal growth from a compensation standpoint or higher responsibility. They stress that challenging yourself is the key factor on furthering your potential. Understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are enables you to have a solid start on climbing up the ladder.
Throughout the book, Bruce and Pepitone spoke about the key factors of internal and external motivation. They emphasize the importance of working with human nature and encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and how it is linked to performance. In conclusion, they feel the most critical pieces of motivation are values, humor, synergy and of course team power.
So, how important is motivation? It makes the difference between failure and success. You can be experienced, knowledgeable, talented and the most capable manager/employee, however, if you lack the motivation, mediocrity will take over and you will just be average. Motivation is not a simple matter and requires a recipe of elements:
• Motivation is an inside job!
• Relationships: Keys to better performance
• Working with Human Nature
• Encouraging entrepreneurial thinking
• Linking Motivation to performance
• Having Fun!
• Attacking de-motivators
• A clear path to performance
• Teamwork
• Synergy

Bruce and Pepitone wrap up the book by highlighting how you must be committed to continually developing yourself and your employees. “Success breeds success.” We all accept and understand that. Unleashing your synergy and making sure that you better yourself is of the utmost importance. Ever hear of practice makes perfect? Well compare it to shooting a hockey puck 100 times a day to have more strength and accuracy. Can’t get your pitch down? Practice leaving yourself messages, do it in front of a mirror. Becoming a student of your business and becoming more knowledgeable creates strength and more importantly confidence which is the greatest motivator.
Any organization can take a significant hit and face challenging times and changes if it is not taking the necessary steps to prepare for the future through the attitudes, motivation and action of the organization and its employees. This is what this book is all about. Utilizing these techniques can be powerful tool that keep you and the organization from falling to mediocrity and complacency, but none if it matters if you can not translate it into action!

After being in the recruiting industry and having met many people through my career, I can sincerely attest that it is a small world, people talk and word travels fast.  When that word is about you,  you want it to be a positive one.  You want people to respond to your name positively and hopefully send business and referrals your way.  Having a poor reputation will surely ruin your chances of success.  When it comes to building your reputation, the one rule of thumb is “Don’t burn any bridges”.   In all situations, especially in business, be respectful of people and their time.  But most importantly, be honest.

Let me share a story with you:

A candidate, that I will refer to as Johnny, called me to help him in his job search.  After running a particular job by him, Johnny asked that I try to get him an interview.  After submitting his resume, my client responded by saying that she thought his name sounded familiar but would like to meet with him.  I scheduled him in to meet with my client and on the day of the interview, Johnny was a no-show.  I promptly called Johnny and he made an excuse as to why he didn’t make it and wanted to reschedule.  Not only does blowing off an interview soil the reputation of a candidate, but it also turns out that Johnny had met with my client for several interviews 8 months ago.  They made him an offer and then Johnny went missing – he never called them back to accept or deny the offer.  Therefore my client passed on his candidacy on the spot and red flagged his name for future consideration. 

In this case, Johnny burnt the bridge between a potential job and also stained his reputation with me.  Since this incident my client has moved on to a new company as their hiring manager. Therefore, what Johnny did not realize that because he has burned that bridge he not only shot himself in the foot with not one company, but two.

The moral of the story is be honest and do not play games.  Treat everyone with the respect that you would want to be treated with.  It’s a small world and karma exists.

by Kathleen Mauriot

One never knows exactly what to expect when you go on an interview. Anxiety builds as your mind wanders about the people you’ll meet, the questions they will ask and the overall feel of the company. But there is one thing you can do to build confidence before you start the interview process and that is to be prepared. Preparation before every interview is an absolute must. So what does that exactly mean? Do a little research and role playing the night before and you will be on the right track to a successful interview. Here are a few tips:

1. Dress to impress. Stay away from colognes and perfumes. Keep hair groomed neatly. Be conservative with jewelry and make-up.

2. Bring a leather-bound notebook with a couple copies of your resume. Avoid spiral notebooks and manila envelopes.

3. Know exactly where the interview is going to take place. If you are unsure, take a test drive beforehand. Make a good first impression and get there at least 10 minutes early.

4. Meet every person with a firm handshake, eye contact and a smile. Begin to build rapport and get them to like you. You will feel more relaxed as the interview moves forward.

5. Be confident and speak with conviction. Who can better sell yourself than you?

6. Gather some facts about the company. Go to their website and be able to recite in your own words what they do and why you would want to work for them.

7. Know your own background and be able to tell “your story” in a way that is logical while creating excitement and relevancy to the position you are interviewing for.

8. Be able to articulate why you are the best person for the job. Remember in this market you will have competition. Set yourself apart.

9. Anticipate questions and objections. Sorry – but no candidate is perfect.

10. Have at least 10 questions prepared to ask. An interviewee with no questions does not convey much interest in the opportunity. Be inquisitive but not redundant.

11. Ask for the job!

You will be surprised at how many people don’t. If you take time to prepare before your interview you will see how much of a difference it will make!

Today’s landscape for job seekers has been anything but a walk in the park. Typically, hiring companies have created standard interview processes which can range from 2 to 7 steps, including phone screens, several meetings with company executives and sometimes a “day in the life” or a field ride. A “day in the life” is fairly standard within an outside sales role, but this trend has recently been adopted for inside sales roles. These “shadow” days can range from a few hours to an entire day depending on the hiring company and are tools to asses your ability to listen, ask questions and catch on to their day to day routine. However, “shadow” days are not only for the employer, it’s also a great opportunity for you, as a candidate, to find out if it is the right job for you. The day in the life can be very informative so make sure you take advantage of it! It’s a great way to meet a representative that has first hand experience in the role as well as important insight as to what it’s like to work for the company. You will hear about the success stories and of course all the hardships that one has to go through to make a sale. This step in the interview process can either reinforce your desire to work for the company or send you running for the hills. As an executive recruiter, I have seen it all. With that said, let me share a few tips (and stories of what not to do!), but also keep you in check on why it is extremely important to have the same positive attitude as meeting the hiring manager.

• GET SOME REST!

A day in the life can be several hours out on the road shadowing or on the inside listening to phone calls. Often times you are the observing party and you are there to watch, listen and ask questions regarding what you witnessed. As a sales professional, this can be draining so make sure you get some sleep and eat an energy filled breakfast. You do not want to be the one who falls asleep on the ride back or zone out during a phone call.

• BE PREPARED

You are going to be a representative of the company you are interviewing with for the duration of the shadow day, you must act like it and it all starts with your dress. Regardless as to whether the company’s dress policy is casual, put on your best suit and don’t forget to shine your shoes ( see Interview Tips). Make sure you also do your homework. You may be observing for the day but ask if you can jump in on a few calls utilizing the research that you’ve done regarding the company and their product/service. This is your chance to show them that you can do this!

• YOU’RE A PASSENGER, NOT THE DRIVER.

The day in the life is an observation, so never get involved with any type of sale unless specifically asked to. Building rapport and formal introductions are always recommended, but if an employee is in any part of the sale your best move is to sit back and take mental notes for later questions about the call. Never, under any circumstances, interrupt the sale or attempt to involve yourself. Every call is a potential deal, therefore if you cause a rep to lose a deal by your involvement, you can guarantee the fact that you will not be asked back for another interview.

• ASK QUESTIONS AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.

As an observer, wait until you and the representative are in a private place to ask questions and give feedback regarding a sale. I once had a candidate make a inappropriate comment regarding an executive’s “personality” in the elevator after a sales call, only to have another executive from the same firm in the elevator with them. Long story short, it was not a great situation and needless to say the candidate did not get the job.

• BE INQUISITIVE!

This will be your opportunity to ask any questions that you want. I would stay away from personal, but anything that pertains to the company, the position and the representative should be asked. This is valuable time and should not be wasted.

• CLOSE EVERY REP YOU SHADOW

It’s a MUST! They may not be the final decision maker but they will report back about their experience with you and your ability to do this job. Ask him/her if they have any questions or hesitation about you or your background and more importantly, ask them for their recommendation. Their part of the interview process is a key piece as to whether you’ll be moved forward or not.

A “day in the life” may seem like a significant commitment of your time but in the grand scheme of an interview process, it’s the pivotal point which will make or break your opportunity with the hiring company. Prepare yourself for every minute of that day and make sure you’re on top of your game. Take notes, make observations and get ready to take a backstage look at your potential career. Good luck!

Good listening skills. Not enough sales professionals have them according to Author Barry Farber in a recent Entreparticle on the subject. He suggests it’s because we feel more comfortable talking about ourselves and the subjects we know that we sometimes neglect to listen. After all, what could be easier? Another Farber theory is that sales professionals are so excited about their product they can’t wait to tell prospects about it – and end up doing most of the talking. Consequently, they may not come away with a clear understanding of what their client really needs. So how does a poor listener break the cycle? As Farber points out, it does take a conscious effort to develop better listening skills, but you can do it with some practice. Here’s how:

Take Notes When someone is taking notes, it means they value what is being said. The next time you meet with a prospect, be sure to bring a pad and pen. It shows right away that you want to capture whatever is most important to them.

Ask Questions Look for ways to extract information about key needs/issues. One technique that helps get people talking is “parroting” – repeating the last few words a prospect says as a question. This encourages people to elaborate more on the subject.

Make Sure You Understand One way to make sure you really understand what your client needs is to repeat back what he/she has told you. Re-phrase what you think you’ve heard to make sure you’ve understood correctly. If you’re a bit off-base, your client can clarify important points.

Practice The next time you are at a party or event, Farber advises, “shut up and listen.” Find out as much as you can about people while revealing as little as possible about yourself. Don’t interrupt and resist the urge to jump into a conversation that interests you. Instead, just watch and listen. You’ll be surprised about all of the new, interesting, and valuable information you’ll learn.